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Religion
Religion in Sepheraden is not nearly as expansive as it is in the default Pathfinder RPG world of Golarion. Instead of hundreds of deities of different standings, only a few are known to the people of Sepheraden. At present there are 12 deities worshipped to various extents across Sepheraden. They are known as the Pantheon of Twelve. Historical Practice While many [[Settlements|'communities']] began with temples to individual deities, most humanoids eventually caught wind of the legendary struggle against Rovagug and before too long, all of the Twelve were widely known and worshipped in various capacities. Some communities built "Pantheon Temples", which had spaces dedicated to each deity, recognizing the importance of each in the events shaping the world throughout history. Despite this push for equal worship, Sarenrae has always been more prominently favoured, and likewise, Rovagug much less so - although in his suffering against the weight and heat of the planet's core, it is said he still exudes his influence through primal impulses. Many Pantheon Temples have since closed off the spaces dedicated to the Rough Beast, citing that simply acknowledging him is more than he deserves. The so-called "Dragon Wars" came and went, and before long a calendar system was devised based on the Twelve and their influence on the physical realm. Strangely enough, some historical accounts note that some (usually more isolated) humanoids tended to the worshipping of dragons, despite the obvious spread of the Pantheon's influence and the absence of such creatures come the Age of Cities (AC). By this time, nearly every settlement had erected a Pantheon Temple, even if it meant expanding or removing an ancient temple to an individual deity. However, as the years went on, different deities appealed to different groups of people and within the better part of the first century AC, many Pantheon Temples were all but abandoned in favour of individual temples. When the Declaration of Unity was signed in 199.AC, the Sepheraden Council banned worship of Rovagug for obvious reasons, as well as that of Asmodeus due to his evil nature. Calistria and Norgorber were not officially banned continent-wide, however many local councils made the decision for themselves to prevent the worship of these less honest deities. As the focus shifted towards individual worship some people began to discredit other deities or exaggerate their patron deity's role in history, although for the most part people recognized and respected all of the Twelve in their own ways. Because of all of this, religion became a bigger part of everyday life for most people and individual temples became laden with more civic duties. Present Day Practice Most settlements built after the Declaration of Unity was signed in 199 AC lack Pantheon Temples, including the present day Capital, Cardian City. In most existing Pantheon Temples there is a Pantheon Priest who facilitates dealings between followers of all divisions and the upkeep of the temple. There is a single priest of each deity as well (referred to as Brothers and Sisters), although this usually only means eight to ten of the Twelve are represented due to the banned worship of Asmodeus and Rovagug, as well as Norgorber and Calistria in many settlements. Beyond this there are the clerics and paladins of each deity, as well as the monks, bards, druids, wizards, and various other followers (often referred to as Children). Followers who have committed themselves to twelve or more years of service to their deity may be accepted as "Elders" who assist the priest and Pantheon Priest as needed. In the case of individual temples, which exist and are frequented in nearly every settlement these days, the hierarchy is similar: there is a High Priest whose duties echo those of the Pantheon Priest in managing most of the temple's affairs, up to twelve basic priests who teach and share their faith and organize religious celebrations and events, and a similar structure of Brothers, Sisters, Elders, and other followers. See the table below for a hierarchical comparison: Table: Temple Hierarchies Even though the decline of Pantheon Temple worship has brought some dissent amongst individual believers claiming their deities to be more important or "the only true god", the majority of people in this day and age commit themselves to a single deity but recognize and appreciate the existence of others. Some people never commit to one deity in full, and shift their focus depending on their profession or desires. In a sense this mentality actually hearkens back to the days of Pantheon Temple worship, even though the depth of commitment may be greatly lacking. Adventurers sometimes ask for blessings from multiple temples, such as those to Desna, Erastil, Gozreh, and/or Sarenrae, although wary priests will sometimes deny these requests, claiming disrespect towards their patron deities for trivializing their blessings as novelties rather than powerful holy magic. __FORCETOC__